Does anyone have thyroid problems?

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I'll say nope.

hypothyroidism
Prevalence in The USA: 0.8%
1/5000 newborn infants

hypo under 18 : 2%
18-44: 34%
45-64: 40%
65+: 24%
male to female 1:8

from a 1994 book on meds i have

Those numbers seem a bit high - are you sure it wouldn't be 4.0% for 45-64 year olds?

In any event, I have been on medication for hypothyroidism for a little more than two years now. I suspect I've AS. I may have read something somewhere about a relationship sometime - but I'm doubtful. Seeing as both conditions do affect a definite percentage of the population, there's bound to be some overlap.

No the over all its 0.8% then the break down of that is as I listed

1,000,000 people = 8000 people with hypo
hypo under 18 : 2% 160 people
18-44: 34% 2720 people
45-64: 40% 3200 people
65+: 24% 1920 people

males 889 women 7111

Ah, now I get it. Thanks.

Yeah I've got hypothyroid too. Dunno if I've got Asperger's yet... I'm still investigating.

Thyroid disease is a co-morbidity to psychiatric/mental/pdd conditions. Co-morbidity means that if you have a psychiatric condition the chances you have a thyroid disease are higher statistically but that does not mean that the thyroid condition is causing the "psychiatric" symptoms. Co-morbidity doesn't mean that there's a cause-to-effect link. Althought I must say that the "brain fog" that hypo or hyperthyroid condition causes ressembles a whole lot to ADD... People with ADD especially without hyperactivity should get their thyroid checked.

A TSH blood test higher than 3.0 must now automatically be considered as hypothyroid. The range has been revised by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist from 0.55 to 5.6 to a new shorter range of 0.5 to 3.0. Usually hypothyroid patients feel at their best with a TSH between 0.5 and 1.0 and on a combo protocol of T4 (levothyroxine) and T3 (liothyronine, triiodothyronine). The problem with T4 is that it lowers the TSH very efficiently without resolving all to well the symptoms. Thus, the need for T3. T3 is know to have beneficial effects on the CNS (Central Nervous System). It has strong anti-depressive properties and it is the active form of the thyroid hormone (T4 must be converted by an enzyme into T3).

Anyhow... Lots of information on the web is now available on the subject. Although the tone might sometimes sound a little dogmatic and beside the fact that I think they are overdosing on Armour Thyroid big time and going ape on the adrenal thing, a great place to get some info on the matter is the Stop the Thyroid Madness! Web Site and its associated Forum

I'm on Synthroid and Sustained Release Triiodothyronine (a sort of compounded Cytomel, if you will). Took me a year and a half to get stabilized.

I have hypothyroidism. I understand that this is commonly associated with candida in the gut which, in turn, is common in people with autism. I am sself diagnosed AS and medically diagnosed hypothyroid - alas the goodly UK NHS does not wish to do anything about it. I have therefore tried many natural remedies to relieve my constant tiredness, fogginess and lack of energy. (Also had non-surgical hysterectomy for heavy periods which is also a symptom of hypothyroidism.) Most helpful for me has been Oxy-Powder.

Yoyo

When I first suspected my thyroid was out of whack, I saw my doctor, and he refused to consider the possibility of a thyroid problem because my test results were in the 'normal range'... this despite the fact that I had many of the symptoms. So my mom suggested that I see her doctor for a second opinion. I did; he didn't let the test results make up his mind for him, as I did have the symptoms. (He said what tipped him off was that it was 25°C / 77°F outside and I was wearing a sweater because I was cold.) He also said I was way over at one end of the normal range and probably needed to be closer to the middle, or even at the other end. He prescribed thyroid meds, and the problems went away.

I should mention that my own doctor at the time was younger than I was, probably fresh out of med school, while my mom's doctor was from England and had 20+ years' experience... got his MD at Oxford, in fact. I am not sure what gave him the different perspective: his having way more experience, or his medical training in Europe? Anyway, I immediately switched doctors. He's still my doctor now.

only person in my family with a normal thyroid, sister is hyper, mother is hypo, father is without a thyroid entirely <which shouldn't count, but I'm the only one without any thyroid medication in my pill reminder here>